


And So The World Ends

by silentsongstress



Series: And So The World Ends [1]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Humanstuck, M/M, Sadstuck
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-05
Updated: 2012-07-06
Packaged: 2017-11-09 05:12:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/451692
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silentsongstress/pseuds/silentsongstress
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I’ve always been afraid of the End. With a capital E. But sitting here with him, it didn't feel like the end I had been dreading.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Beginning of the End

**Author's Note:**

> My first work on here : ) It's a bit rough, but do enjoy

~  
FRIDAY  
April 6th 2009  
My alarm clock kicked me out of my deep slumber at around five-thirty each morning. It was routine to slap it off with a grumble and stomp into the bathroom for a shower. Checking my email, and my Facebook before classes was also normal. Clicking a link to download Pesterchum, a portable chat client, and installing it on my phone, however, was not. Even if it ended up being the best thing I ever did. Pushing up from my computer and running a hand through my short, fluffy hair, I slid my phone into my pocket and grabbed my bag.  
I met my best friend, Gambrill Mason outside my apartment complex. We were in the same classes at the local college, so we carpooled in the mornings.  
“Hey Kalvin!” Gam chirped, his black mop of hair flopping everywhich way as he bounced like an excited puppy. I gave him a smile. “Hey, Whats up?”  
“Not much my brother. Got my spider and dragon sisters coming over today.”  
Gam called everyone his brother or sister. The guy was an awkward cross between a stoner and an ancient monk or something. At least he wasn’t high now. It was hard to deal with Gam this early if he was flying like a kite. Our car ride consisted of Gam ranting about ICP-a musical group he felt insulted clowns everywhere-and how it was a misplaced miracle that they had gotten any fame at all. I just nodded because I don’t really care. My phone vibrated in my pocket, making me jump. I reached down for it as it vibrated again. It was the Pesterchum download. Someone was ‘Pestering’ me. 

timedApocalypse [TA] began pestering carmineGenetics [CG] at 6:04  
TA: hello 2tranger  
CG: WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU?  
TA: rude aren’t you?  
CG: NOT REALLY  
TA: 2eriiou2ly? Ugh. Nevermiind.  
TA: my name is 2ollan  
CG: DON’T EXPECT ME TO TELL YOU MY NAME  
TA: ii already know your2 though  
TA: iits kalviin, right?  
CG: HOW THE HELL DID YOU KNOW THAT?  
TA: because ii do  
TA: iive 2een your u2ername before.  
CG: I SHOULD REPORT YOU FOR STALKING ME OR SOMETHING  
TA: well, you could do that  
TA: but that2 not a2 fun for u2.  
CG: THIS IS FUN?  
CG: COULD HAVE FOOLED ME.  
TA: kalviin, ii make iit fun.  
CG: THAT’S WHAT YOU THINK  
TA: thiink? ii know.  
TA: but ii diidn’t me22age you for witty banter, 2marta22.  
CG: THEN WHAT DO I OWE MY EXCESSIVE HATRED TO?  
TA: ii'm trying two tell you.  
CG: GET ON WITH IT  
TA: ii am ii am, 2hee2h  
TA: 2ee, ive been hearing voice2. In my head.  
CG: WHAT?  
TA: and ii know ii don’t know you, really,  
TA: but 2omeone i know 2aiid to me22age you  
TA: because you can help me.  
TA: 2uppo2edly.  
CG: YOU’VE GONE INSANE.  
CG: TAKEN AN ACROBATIC FUCKING PIRROUTE OFF THE DEEP END.  
CG: I’M NOT DEALING WITH THIS  
TA: KK, wait  
TA: please.  
TA: help me  
CG: FUCK

I didn’t know what to do. Sollan sounded like another one for the nuthouse, but something about him seemed almost familiar. I was admittedly unnerved. 

CG: CAN YOU WAIT UNTILL I GET OUT OF MY GOGDAMN CLASSES?  
TA: ii’m not sure. maybe.  
CG: I CAN’T BELIEVE IM DOING THIS  
CG: BUT ILL BE BACK IN AN HOUR  
CG: IVE GOTTA GO. GOOD LUCK FUCKASS  
TA: thank you KK  
CarmineGenetics [CG]ceased pestering timedApocalypse [TA] at 6:28  
My biology class ticked by at the slowest rate possible, as though the universe itself didn’t want me to succeed in cheering up strange online mental patients-which wasn’t unlikely, I guess.  
When class was finally, blessedly over, I was surprisingly egar to chat with Sollan.  
CarmineGenetics [CG]began pestering timedApocalypse [TA] at 7:22  
CG: 2ollan?  
TA: way to steal my typing quiirk jacka22.  
CG: WHATEVER  
TA: were iin the 2ame town, by the way.  
TA: can we meet up?  
CG: IM GOING TO REGRET THIS  
My ride-Gam-still had another class today, and it was normal for me to grab a coffee at the café on campus while I waited for him.  
CG: can you meet me at the campus café at the Com-College?  
TA: your quiirk2 2sliipping  
CG: SHUDDUP. I CAN JUST SEE THAT SMIRK  
CG: CAN YOU JUST MEET ME THERE?  
TA: yeah. iim actually close.  
CG: GOOD.  
CarmineGenetics [CG]ceased pestering timedApocalypse [TA] at 7:47  
I sat in the corner table if the café, where I had a great of the door. A tall man with long legs and arms and no body fat to speak of pushed the door open. His black short sleeved tee seemed inappropriate for the chilly April weather, but who was I to judge? I wore my turtlenecks all year round. He glanced around the room, and I returned my eyes to the door. Not that I knew what I was looking for.  
The tall man walked over to my table and plopped down across from me.  
“Hello Kalvin. I’m Thollan.” He greeted-cheery for a schizophrenic maniac-and oh my god that lisp. It was surprisingly sexy.  
“Hey,” I grumbled, sipping my soda.  
“Look, I know thith ith weird, but I need you to trutht me, KK.” He pleaded. “We don’t have time to argue.”  
I couldn’t say no to that-cute-lisp, or those mismatched eyes, which sparkled-GOG IM GETTING SAPPY! But they DO!-behind his 3D-glasses.  
“Fine” I ground out.  
“Awethome. Look KK, we have ethactly one week before everyone in town is dead. Maybe even the whole world.” He pushed his hair back and mumbled, “The voiceth have never been thith loud before.”  
I blinked, “Are you some kind of prankster? Or a terrorist?”  
“Ath if. I’m jutht curthed. I can hear people. Dead people. People who will die. Talking.”  
This was getting weird. I don’t know myself why I trusted him. Maybe it was his innocent face. It must have been.  
“Let’s say you are. Why tell me?” I was actually genuinely curious.  
“Becauthe. Karkat thaid you would make thith thtop. If I thtayed with you.”  
“Karkat?”  
“Angry internet troll. He’th CarthinoGenticitht.”  
“You listen to advice given to you by internet trolls?”  
Sollan blushed. “Not alwayth!” he protested. “Bethideth, he wath telling the truth. I feel great now.”  
“Glad I could help, then. I guess.”  
“Thankth.”  
We sat quietly for a second.  
“It’s inevitable?” I finally asked.  
“What, the end of the world?” Sollan sighed. “Yeth.”  
I felt a pang in my chest. “I don’t believe that.”  
I wanted to curl into myself forever. The idea of dying had always been a black abyss I would avoid with every ounce of my being. It was unknown, foreign. Frightening. I pulled my knees onto the bench and nosed my chin between my knees.  
“Kalvin?” Sollan was watching me carefully. He stood and walked over to my side of the booth, wrapping his arms around my body. I felt a panicked sob rising in my chest, and realized I hadn’t been taking my meds lately. “I’m thorry” Sollan whispered, running his fingers through my hair, making shooshing noises between whispers of apology. He led me out the door and to a shady tree on campus, where he sat with me until I stopped shaking. All the while he shooshed me quietly, with his forehead resting on my hair and his breath warm and tickling on my ear.


	2. Pizza, Kisses and Ghosts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter two, Enjoy

~  
SUNDAY  
April 8th 2009  
Sollan and I met up at a little bookshop downtown, and he bought me a coffee. We sat and talked and just were together. It was surprisingly calming. Eventually, Sollan had to leave to work on a project-which he insisted he had to finish even though the world was due to end in less than a week. He pressed his lips to my cheek as he gathered his coat and walked out into the drippy streets. I watched him for a moment before grabbing my stuff and running after him. When I finally caught up, panting, he gave me a smile.  
“Jutht couldn’t thtay away, could you?” he laughed, watching me recover. “Well ath long ath you’re here…” He reached out a hand to me, and I slipped my own into it. It fascinated me how well his thin, bony fingers interlaced with mine. We ended up back at his house watching a movie, all thoughts of completing his project gone. I must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I knew Sollan was falling across my lap, the house glowing with the darkness of night. I reached down and shook him lightly. He grumbled and rolled onto his back, blinking up at me sleepily.  
“Hello printheth.”  
“You’re the sleeping beauty, fuckass.”  
“Debatable.” He laughed. “You feel athleep firtht.”  
“Shut up” I poked him in the side, “Get up and I’ll order us a pizza.”  
That got Sollan off me pretty quick. I grabbed my cell, and dialed the number for Papa John’s.  
“What do you want?” I asked, glancing over at him.  
“Pineapple and olive,” Sollan mumbled into the couch cushion he’d claimed upon being denied my lap as a pillow. “And breadthticks.”  
While I was placing our order-“Helloooooooo, Papa Johns, this is Veronika Circon, what can I get you?”-Sollan had fallen asleep again. I took a better look at his apartment. It seemed to be pretty bare, except his room, which from what I could see of it through the open door, was full of computers and Taco Bell wrappers. Sparing a glance at Sollan, I got up and went into his room. Grabbing the trashcan, I collected the fast food trash and shoved it into the receptacle. After a few minutes, it seemed I’d gotten all of it. I made up his bed, and carried him into his room. I tucked him in, and kissed his forehead lightly. A knocking sounded, and as I leaned away to answer the door, I felt a tug on my arm. I looked back at Sollan, who had latched onto my arm in his sleep, and smiled.  
“I’ll be right back, don’t worry dumbass.” I said comfortingly, removing his fingers from my sleeve.  
I pulled the door open and accepted the steaming goodness that was pizza. I set it down on the coffee table, and went over to Sollan’s room again. He’d woken up and was squinting at me.  
“Dinners’ here. You want to eat or go back to sleep?”  
“I’ll eat. Give me a thec.” He sighed, rubbing his brown and blue eyes tiredly.  
I grabbed his hand and led him to the food. Sollan practically tore the box open and devoured a slice. I took my own and grinned as he moved on to what had to be his third slice in ten seconds.  
“Don’t you eat?” I laughed.  
“I’m jutht hungry, jackath”  
“Of course.” I smirked, snagging a breadstick from the box.  
Sollan slipped another movie into the DVD player and grabbed a couple of Sprites from the fridge. We ended up falling asleep again next to each other under a Winne the Pooh quilt on his couch around four or five in the morning.

TUESDAY  
April 10th 2009  
Sollan had said that he wanted to visit his friend Ardia, who was buried at the cemetery nearby. He’d said “AA thays thhe wanth to meet you.” As we parked outside the stone walls of the cemetery, I was mulling over that statement. We walked the neat paths through the grey uniform gravestones, stopping in front of one that was different from the rest. It was a bright red stone, carved into the shape of an angel, holding a plaque with her name on it. I bent to read the inscription.  
Ardia Meido  
1985-2001  
Death is not the End  
But only the Beginning  
“AA wath my betht friend.”  
“Sollan~?” a floaty halting voice blew through the willow branches.  
I glanced around, looking for the speaker. When I turned back to the grave, a girl was sitting on it. She had long black hair and underneath her red trimmed black funeral dress, her feet were bare.  
“Hey AA.” Sollux grinned.  
“This is your friend, then?” she jumped lightly from the top of the angel, floating just above the ground.  
She turned her eyes up to me, and I leapt back in surprise. Her eyes were completely white, missing both pupil and iris, her lashes framing them in a rusty red.  
“Hello.” I greeted shakily.  
“Hell000~” she giggled, making her voice sound extra ghosty. “I’m Ardia. Sol calls me AA though. None of his other friends have come to meet me before.” She added, inspecting him.  
“AA, do the dead not have perthonal thpace?”  
Ardia frowned, backing off to stare at Sollan.  
“You just want to lay claim to him, Sollan~” At this, Sollan spluttered, his pale skin gaining a faint pink tinge.  
A small smile cracked my lips as Ardia laughed quietly.  
“Don’t worry Sollan, I’m not out to steal him~”  
Sollan sighed in disguised relief. I stepped forward, taking a moment to appraise my odd new friend.  
His thin acrobatic body was always buried in loose black shirts and denim jeans. His hair was smooth and expertly cut, framing his colorless face-chalked up to his admitted coding addiction. Tentatively, I reached out, plucking Sollan’s glasses from his face. As they came away, I leaned in and captured his lips. He squeaked, jerking away in surprise.  
“Kalvin…”  
“I regret NOTHING!” I laughed, wrapping my arm around his shoulder.  
Sollan smirked, twisting to kiss my ear, which turned into a sharp bite. I started when the sharp teeth scraped my ear, a shiver going down my spine.  
“You know, I never pictured you as a biter.” I teased.  
“Thut up KK.” Sollan kissed me to enforce the sentiment. I noticed that at some point Ardia had slipped away, leaving us alone.  
“It’s creepy to do this in a cemetery.” I was more than a little uncomfortable. Sollan sighed.  
“Then let’th get dinner.” He announced. 

WENDSDAY  
April 11th 2009  
On returning to my apartment after a pleasant date with Sollan, I found Gam and a small Spanish boy on the couch together, watching Animal Planet.  
“Sup my motherfucking bestest friend?” Gam greeted, giving me a wave. “This is Tavbro.”  
“Hi, my name is, uh, Tavron.” The boy said haltingly.  
“Don’t mind his stuttering, best friend. Tavbro’s just a little motherfucking shy, is all.”  
“It’s nice to meet you Tavron.” I said, opening one of Gam’s Faygos with a pop and a hiss. “If you guys get hungry don’t wait for me to get food, I’ve already eaten.”  
Gam perked up. “Speaking of food, my brother, Tavbro and I are planning a bitchtits party on Friday. You should bring your new motherfucking friend over to celebrate.” He suggested.  
I froze, I hadn’t told Gam about the impending apocalypse, in case Sollan was jerking me around-hell I hoped he was-so I didn’t appear to be an idiot if it didn’t happen.  
Tavron rose from the couch, disentangling himself from Gam’s long limbs, and grabbing my hand.  
He dragged me into the kitchen.  
“uh Kalvin, I um, know about, the end of, uh, the world. That’s on, Friday.” He was speaking a little less hesitantly. “I’ve told, Gam about it and uh, he isn’t, worried. He wanted to invite you and, Sollan, to uh, our party.”  
I sighed. “Sollan knows everyone, doesn’t he? I’m guessing if he knows about it, it’s already in our plans.”  
Tavron grinned. “We’ll see you there then.” The Spanish boy skipped back into the living room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll update this either tomorrow or later today : )


	3. Meteors

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter three : )

THURSDAY  
April 12th 2009  
Sollan and I sat in the park, sharing a picnic lunch together. I’d skived off classes to have one last real date with my new boyfriend. Gam and Tavron were going to meet us later and we’d all go to a movie and a fancy place for dinner. No sense keeping all this money if the world was ending. I lounged on the blanket-red and white checkered, how cliché- my head resting in Sollan’s lap, with his fingers combing out the strands of my hair. It was oddly soothing.  
“Hey, KK?”  
“Yeah?”  
“Can I tell you thomething?”  
Sollan’s fingers stopped their ministrations, and I sat up to look him in the eyes.  
“Anything.”  
“Kalvin…I think I love you.” He breathed, looking right at me.  
“Good.” I said. “Because I love you too.”  
He gave me a luminous smile, and I felt the happiest I’d ever been. 

 

FRIDAY  
April 13th 2009  
The day the world ended dawned bright and clear. Sollan called me up at seven, asking me to come say goodbye to Aaraia before the banquet. After we agreed to meet at nine, I showered and dressed in my favorite turtleneck, a long black one that was too big for me, but had my star sign-cancer- stitched into the front. I logged into Pesterchum on my phone on a whim, and was greeted immediately by a message.  
CarcinoGeneticist [CG] has begun trolling CarmineGenetics [CG] at 8:02  
CG: HELLO  
CG: WHO ARE YOU?  
CG: WAIT. KARKAT?  
CG: YEAH  
CG: I WANTED TO MEET THE HUMAN ME.  
CG: BEFORE THE APOCALYPSE  
CG: WHAT?  
CG: LONG STORY. DOESN’T MATTER. IF YOU WANT TO KNOW, I SUPPOSE YOU COULD ASK SOLLAN. IF HE’S ANYTHING LIKE MY SOLLUX, HE WILL KNOW.  
CG: DO I WANT TO KNOW?  
CG: I DON’T KNOW, DO YOU?  
CG: ENJOY YOUR FINAL PARTY.  
CarcinoGeneticist [CG] has ceased trolling CarmineGenetics [CG] at 8:15

I closed the app, and dialed Sollan’s number.

 _“Hey Kalvin.”_  
“Sollan, what can you tell me about Karkat?”  
“Karkat ith literally a troll. He’th an alien. They supposedly made our univerthe, but they couldn’t get into it themselveth. You and me and Gam and even Tavron are the human incarnationth of the alienth who made our planet. “  
“Really? That’s kind of cool. I guess.”  
“I thupose. All it meanth ith that we look like them, and our perthonalitith are thimilar. We don’t get any of their powerth. My troll counterpart ith a Psiioniic, which ith bathicly telekenethith.”  
“Weird.”  
“Thorta. I have to hang up KK, I’m driving now.”  
“alright. I’ll see you in a bit.” __

I hung up, and pulled on my shoes. In any other circumstances, I would let myself mull over this finding more, but I was running out of time, so I didn’t allow it to bother me.  
I grabbed Gam’s car keys and headed to meet Sollan.  
Together we sat with Ardia under her willow tree, chatting together companionably. It had been important to Sollan that he got a chance to say goodbye to his friend properly. She refused to tell us much about the afterlife, besides the fact that there was indeed one. Eventually, she waved us away with a smile, fading into dust and blowing away in the wind. We got into Gam’s car together and drove back to my apartment, where Gam had set up a table in the common property next to the duck pond. It groaned under the weight of food Gam and Tavron had spent all of yesterday morning cooking, including Gam’s famous green strawberry pie.  
I sat with my friends around the table, and a few other people joined us- Kana Mart, Eric Andrew, Equien Hawk, Nepha Legion, Fiona Pexis, Veronika Circon-the girl from Papa Johns-and a blind girl named Terri Pyro. Gam stood, and everyone silenced as he towered over the seated group.  
“Hello my motherfucking best friends.” He greeted. “Welcome to the party. Today we’re up and celebrating the grand miracle of life. We should thank the righteous god-trolls for giving us this chance at an utterly bitchtits life, and ask that we all get to be together in the next life too.” He glanced around the table briefly, “I’d like us to look to our other best friends around us, and if anyone’s got something they need to up and say to a brother or sister, they should make sure that brother or sister hears what they need to hear.” He took his seat, grinning. Whispers did indeed break out across the table, and I caught Tavron confessing to Gam among other things. Sollan’s hand found mine under the table as Gam announced that we could eat now. I poured myself a glass of Faygo, and walked with Sollan to the edge of the pond. Others had forgone the food and moved away in pairs or groups or alone, while some had stayed behind, laughing and joking over the feast. Sollan pulled me down into his lap, and I could feel his heartbeat pounding in his chest.  
“Sollan, I love you.” I breathed as the sky lit up red and gold, and streaks burned in the atmosphere. Meteors fell, small at first, landing in the other parts of the city, throwing up great clouds of dirt into the air.  
More rocks fell as Sollan pulled me close and kissed me, whispering “I love you too, Kalvin.” We looked up at the glowing sky, and when I found myself greeting death, I did it unafraid, with Sollan by my side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll be updating either later today, or Early saturday


	4. Epilogue-Dream Bubbles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the last chapter : ) I hope it's satisfactory, even though it is fairly short
> 
> This is from Sollan's point of view

I opened my eyes, with Kalvin still nestled in my lap. I blinked, and looked around in astonishment. We were alone in an empty meadow of rolling hills and tiny violets hidden in soft grass. My boyfriend was still asleep against me, snoring lightly. From over a hill, Gam lead the ragtag group of people from the banquet, gradually coming closer. As they neared us, I shook Kalvin awake.  
“Good morning printheth.” I teased as he stirred.  
“Hello to you to, fuckass.” My little spitfire murmured, rubbing his sleepy eyes. When he opened them, they were the same pure white that Ardia’s had been. I figured mine were the same, because he drew in a sharp breath, and reached to touch my face.  
“Sollan?”  
“That would be me, thmartath.”  
“So Ardia wasn’t lying then?” he asked.  
A new voice broke through our conversation, “Of course not~”  
I looked up at my best friend, still wearing her funeral dress and floating at my shoulder. She let out a laugh and hugged me tightly. Kalvin grinned at me and I couldn’t resist pulling him into a deep kiss.  
Gam, with Tavron dangling down his back, loped up to join our little group.  
“The righteous gods heard our prayers, my motherfucking best friend,” he sighed happily. “I knew getting our pray on was a miraculous idea.”  
Kalvin laughed, an infectious loud laugh at that. His mirth spread to the rest of us, and we sat together in the long grass and laughed like idiots.  
I wasn’t sure where we were-it must have been someplace like heaven though, because the voices were finally, blissfully, silent, and I was with the people I loved.  
It wouldn’t get better than this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Check out the companion story to this piece, Can You Troll Yourself?


End file.
